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    Re: US Foreign Policy in Shambles - essential read/listen if interested in the Gulf situation Archived Message

    Posted by Tomski on July 28, 2019, 10:58 pm, in reply to "Re: US Foreign Policy in Shambles - essential read/listen if interested in the Gulf situation"

    Re Turkey-Russia relations, it should also be remembered that the Turkstream gas pipeline under the Black Sea has recently been completed and there are plans for ongoing gas supply to Europe. Good point about the Turkstream. It seems Bulgarians and Serbs have started on their section/s despite some early glitches from the EU approval agencies.

    There is also the Nordstream gas pipeline from Russia direct to Germany under the Baltic. Danes are still pushing back regarding their territorial waters, no doubt being pressurised by Uncle Sam. Germany rules, so I am tempted to think it will be completed in time : ).

    The need to transit across Ukraine has thus been cut out - that'll teach it for aligning with the west. Ukraine is now corresponding to Moldova in terms of the GDP etc. Shame. I guess it was cheap at $5B for the US. It used to be the bread-basket and a technological hub for the USSR. Also severely damaged demographically after EU agreed to have the visa-less relationship (much the same as all other former Warsaw pact countries). Kids and elders keeping the hearth warm : (.

    Turkey will no doubt be well aware that Russia expects its ambitions in Syria to be severely restricted (though it understands its need to suppress the Kurds). Idlib is a mess, now filled up with jihadis who rule the roost there. Now, I can see the Chinese and Turkish contractors teeming up, rebuilding the Syrian infrastructure etc. I would have thought there would be a requirement that Xiang jihadis are to be kept in Turkey/Syria (with their families : )). Probably also rebel Chechens vis-à-vis Russians. It will be an en enclave (think Trans-Dniestria, if they are lucky). This will take time. The ominous sign is that Turkey is organising Turkish language admin in Idlib …

    Russia has successfully defended its ally, Syria, and, with Turkey onside, has put paid to US plans for the region, at least for now. True, let’s watch it develop. No doubt there will be a few spanners on the way to test the scheme.

    Cheers

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